Means for forming and controlling combustion engine charges



MEANS FOR FORMING AND CONTROLLI-NG COMBUSTION ENGINE CHARGES Filed Sept. 12 i933 WJATJ. @ha

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MlEdNS UR FURMHNG AND lCUNiRlLlLllNlGr l Us'yion puente @nannies Henry Schmitt, Detroit, Mich., assignor' of onetllird to Walter l. llteese and one-third to .lloseph lferrien, Detroit, Mich.

Application September l2, i932, Serial No. 632,6d4l (ci. 12s- 127) 6 Claims The present invention relates to means for forming regulating and supplying combustible .charges for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to the forming of charges for oil engines from a combination of air, water and a grade of liquid fuel which is heavier than gasoline. In the forming of charges from heavy fuel, difficulty has been encountered in the regulating of the fuel oil/and/or water to give the proper mixture under varying conditions and this is due to the fact that the arrangement has been such that the withdrawal of either or both the fuel and water from the supply has been subjected to the vdirect action of engine inspiration, and therefore, has varied in accordance therewith. An object of the present invention is to overcome this difficulty in regulation, by making the feeding of fuel and/or water from the supply, positive and entirely independent of engine inspiration, the arrangement being such that air will be drawn into the engine by suction along with the fuel or water which is supplied to the ingoing flow, such supply being regulable and unaffected by such suction.

A Yfurther object is to provide fuel supplying means for engines of this type, and wherein a readily volatilized fuel is employed in .starting the engine, which means is such that, in switching over to the heavier fuel, after the engine had been started and has been warmed up, the turning on of the heavy oil may be effected in advance of shutting olf of the starting fuelthus providing a period of time in which the heavy fuel will be heated and vaporized in the extended fuel passage or passages before it reaches the engine intake, the arrangement being such that this change from light to heavy fuel, will be accomplished automatically, and the several fuel control elements will be operated in proper sequence and timed relation to effect quick starting and proper running adjustment.

It is also object of the present invention to effect the proper heating of the fuel mixture by passing it through .passages in the engine exhaust manifold, these passages being constructed and arranged in a particular manner to effect proper heating of the flow therethrough, in a minimum of time and Without spot heating of these passagesjwhich spot heating would ignite Athe flow. It is also an object, to provide an arrangement which is automatic and eicient in operation, simple in construction, and not liable n to get out of order, and wherein are embodied Civ certain other new and useful features, all as hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed upon the line f-f of Fig. l, through the engine exhaust manifold and adjacent engine wall; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section upon the line t-il of Fig. l.

As shown inFig. 1, i indicates an Ainternal combustion engine of the usual constructionas installed in a motor vehicle, t indicating the usual toe board of the vehicle body. This engine is provided with a combined intake and exhaust manifold, the exhaust manifold being in the form of a hollow casting t which, in cross-section is of substantially rectangular form, and integral with the lower side of which the intake manifold il is formed. This casting is secured in the usual' manner to one side of the cylinder block of the engine with the several exhaust ports t of the engine opening directly into the exhaust manifold and with the intake ports li of the engine opening into said intake manifold through a side wall thereof. The interior of the exhaust manifold El is divided by a plurality of parallel longitudinally extending walls 'l forming therebetween, passages t and d, one end of which passages is closed by an end wall lll located at a distance from the end wall of the manifold and thus forming an end passage ll connecting the exhaust passage l2 into which the ports t open, with a passage it at the outer side of the manifold. Other passages Ml through the several walls "l also connect the passages lt and lll, the walls of which passages lll are formed integral with the walls 'l with these passages lll in staggered relation to the exhaust ports E. The end of the passage l2 at the outlet end of the manifold, is closed by a transverse wall lll and therefore the hot exhaust gases entering the exhaust manifold through the ports Ei, is forced to travel along the passage i2 toward the forward end of the manifold, passing through the passages ll and il across and into the passage it at the outer side of the manifold and thence out throughthe rear end thereof. These ygases are thus forced to travel a long distance in contact with the walls 'l forming the passages t and t.

A hollow cap lli forming a longitudinal chamber lll is detachably secured over the upper open side of the manifold t, closing said side, and

in the bottom wall of this cap is an opening i8 which opens directly into the rear end of the fuel passage 8. The intermediate wall 1 is stopped short of the end wall l@ of the passages 8 and 9 and therefore, these fuel passages communicate with each other at their forward ends. In the bottom wall of the manifold is a charge outlet opening I9 at the rear end of the passage 9, which outlet opens into the upper end of an L-shaped tubular member 2d, the end of the lower branch oi which member is contracted to provide a jet 2i opening through the side wall of the tubular outlet 22 of a carbureter 23 oi the usual construction having the usual lateral air inlet 2li, the upper end of this tubular outlet 22 being secured to the bottom of the intake manifold 4 and opening directly into it. Fuel charges introduced into the chamber il! of the cap i6 in the manner hereinafter described, are thus caused to travel along said chamber to the outlet I8 where they pass therethrough into the passage 8 and from the opposite end of this passage, they pass into the end of the passage 9 and along the same to the outlet i9, thence into the member 2li and out through the nozzle 2l into the uptake from the carbureter, and thence into the intake manifold. During this travel,

these fuel charges are highly heated by contact with the walls 1 forming said passages 8 and 9, and gasified. To maintain this gaseous state until these charges enter the uptake 22 of the carbureter, a small tube 25 communicates at one end with the exhaust passage i3 of the manifold 3, is extended downward into the horizontal portion of the L-shapeu tubular member 20, through an opening in the wall thereof, is coiled within said branch, and then extended through an opening in the rear end of said branch and upward, where it opens into the lower side of the outlet end of the exhaust manifold. Hot exhaust gases are thus conducted through the chamber of the outlet member 20 to keep the combustible charges passing therethrough, at the proper temperature to prevent condensation.

If the hot gases of combustion issuing from the exhaust ports 5 were permitted to impinge directly upon the wall 1 of the fuel charge passage 8, spot heating of this wall might occur, that is this wall might become red hot opposite the exhaust ports and thus ignite the combustible charges passing through said passage 8, but to obviate such contingency, a plate 26 is secured to the face of the wall 1, opposite said ports, and this plate is formed of a. metal having a high heat conductivity so as to distribute the heat and prevent overheating of the wall in spots. If desired the metal forming the wall itself may be of a nature to cause heat distribution and prevent spot heating.

It is found that engines of this character employinga heavy oil as fuel, usually function more effectively if a proportion of water is mixed with the ingoing oil to form combustible charges, but

diiiiculty has usually been encountered in properly proportioning the oil and water where the introduction of either into the manifold is dependent upon engine inspiration or suction created by the operation of the engine pistons. The present arrangement of feeding or supply mechanism obviates this diffoulty by arranging the feed so that it is entirely independent of engine suction and is in no manner affected thereby during the normal running of the engine.

A supply of oil is carried in an oil tank 21 preferably supported in any suitable manner acecha@ above the engine, and a supply of water is also carried in a like manner in a water tank 28. A passage leading from the bottom of the water tank is controlled by a suitable hand operated needle valve 29 and an open nozzle 33 extends downward from. this valve to discharge water into the open upper end of a cup or funnel 3l formed with a passage 32 leading from the bottom thereof to its upper edge and into the upper end of which passage is secured the end oi a pipe the opposite end of which is secured in an opening in the top wall oi the cap I6 near the forward end of the exhaust manifold to which said cap is secured. During normal running of the engine, vacuum created in the manifold 3 and therefore in the said cap, will be eflectivo in drawing water from the bottom of the funnel or cup 3| through the pipe .33, but as 'the passage 32 which forms a continuation of said pipe and opens into the bottom of said cup, is spaced a considerable distance from the discharge end of the nozzle 30, this suction through said pipe will have no effect whatsoever upon said nozzle to draw water therefrom. The valve 29 will be adjusted so that just about the right amount of water will be discharged into the cup charge also being drawn in through the pipe 33 due to the fact that the cup is substantially empty and there is a considerable space between the end of the nozzle which projects but slightly into the open top of the cup and the bottom of the cup from which the water is drawn as fast as it drips thereinto from the nozzle. The feeding of the water is therefore constant, and when the engine is stopped this water will continue to drip into the cup, filling it and overflowing therefrom without passing into the manifold, due to the fact that the water conduit extends downward in the cup from its rim. This cup will be small so that it will hold but a small quantity of water to be drawn out when the engine is again started.

The feeding of oil from the oil tank 21 is regulated in a somewhat similar manner, in that the arrangement is such that engine suction can have no effect upon the feeding of oil from said tank, but said oil will be fed in a regulated amount intoan open cup or funnel 34 from a pipe 35 leading from the bottom of said tank within which pipe is a shut-oil valve 36 and an adjustable needle valve 31 in advance oi an'outlet nozzle 38 extending downward from said pipe into the upper open end of said cup a short distance, with its lower end spaced a considerable distance from the bottom of said cup, from which bottom a passage or pipe 39 leads downward and opens directly into the chamber I1 of the cap I6. Engine suction will draw in the oil dripping from the nozzle 38, along with air from the open cup, into the intake manifold through said chamber I1, but due to the open space between the bottom of the cup 34 and the nozzle 38, this suction will have no eiect on said nozzle to vary the flow of fuel therefrom into said cup.

Within the outlet pipe 22 of the carbureter 23, is the usual butterfly or throttle valve 40 and secured to the pivot of this valve outside the pipe, is a bell crank 4I to one arm of which it attached a rod 42 extending rearwardly toward the me board 2 and attached at its rear end to a lever accessi 45 pivotally supported beneath said board with an arm or foot pedal M extending through an opening in said board so that the operator by placing his foot upon said pedal, the lever may be operated against the action of a spring 45 to open said throttle 45, the said spring normally holding said throttle in closed position. lt will be noted that this throttle valve 45 is below the jet 2l within the uptake pipe 22 of the carbureter.

Alongside the foot pedal or arm 55, is a push pin 55 extending through the toe board 2 and this pin engages one arm of a bell crank 51, to the end of the other arm of which a pullrod 55 is pivotally attached. The opposite or forward end of this rod 55 is pivotally attached to a downwardly extending arm of a bell crank 55 which bell crank is pivotally attached to a vforwardly extending arm of the bell crank 5l, said bell crank 55 being provided with a projection to engage a stop pin,

55 on said arm of said bell crank 5l and limit the turning movement of said bell crank 55, in one direction, said second bell crank 55 being normally held turned with its projection against said stop pin, by a spring 5l. The lower arm of Y said bell crank 55 has a loose pivotal connection with the said rod 55 by providing a slot in the end of said rod with a pin on said bell crank arm to engage said slot, and tothe upper arm of said bell crank, is pivotally attached one end of'a connecting rod 52, the upper end of which rod is pvotally attached to an arm 55 intermediate its ends, said arm being pivotally supported at one end, adjacent one side of the cup with its oppcsite end connected by a link, with the lower endof a wedge member 55 for adjusting the needle valve 5i, said wedge abutting at one side, the end of the tubular member 55 'with the stem of said needle valve projecting through a stuffing box in said end of said tubular member and through a slot in said wedge with a head 55 and lock nuts on the outer end o'f said stem to engage the opposite side of said wedge. Said wedge is normally urged upward against the action of said arm 53, by a spring 56, and said wedge is so tapered that when moved downward against the action of said spring 56 by the downward swinging of said arm, the needle Valve will be moved away from its seat against the action of a. spring 51 sleeved upon said stem of said valve, within the chamber of the tubular member 35 which forms a casing for said valve and within which chamber the said needle valve is located.

To operate the fuel shut off valve 36 which/is in advance of said needle valve 31 in the line 35 leading from the tank 21, said valve 36 is provided with a laterally extending arm to the end of which a connecting rod 58 is pivotally attached at one end, its lower end being pivotally attached to a laterally extending arm on a. gasoline shut off valve 59 located in the gasoline supply pipe 60 leading to the carbureter 23, and to automatically move said rod 58 to open the valve 36 and simultaneously close the valve 59, a small cylinder 6| is located adjacent the said intake manifold 6 and one end of this cylirider communicates with the interior of said manifold through a pipe connection in which is located a shut off valve 62 adapted to bemanually operated by a push and pull rod 63 extending rearwardly to a convenient place of operation adjacent the toe board 2. Within the cylinder 6l is' a piston 64 to be moved in one direction by vacuum created in said manifold and in the opposite direction by a spring 65, and the outer end of the piston rod of this piston is connected by a link with one arm of a bell crank 65 pivotally Supported adjacent said rod 58 with its opposite arm pivotally connected to said rod. Therefore when the engine is running and the valve 52 is opened, suction created by engine operation will hold the piston 64 moved against the action of the spring 55 and the rod 55 Will be held in position to hold the valve 55 open to permit oil to flow from the tank 21, and hold the valve 59 closed to cut off the supply of gasoline to the carbureter 25. -Upon shutting down of the engine, the spring 55 will act to move the piston 55, and through the bell crank 55 and rod 58, operate to close the valve 55 and open the valve 59, cutting off the flow of fuel oil from the tank 21 and permitting flowv of gasoline to the carbureter, thus conditioning the parts for start ing the engine by the use of gasoline, but soon after the engine has been started and the valve 52 opened, the piston 55 will be operated by engine inspiration, to stop the iiow of gasoline to the carbureter and open the line 55 to supply fuel oil to the engine.

In starting the engine, the pedal or arm 55 will Iirst be depressed to open the throttle 55, and

this will permit combustible charges of air and gasoline to enter the intake manifold and the engine will start. The depression of said pedal 55 will effect, through the swinging of the bell crank 5l, a downward swinging of the bell crank 55 carried thereby which will exert a pull upon the rod 52 and adjust, through the medium of the wedge 55, the needle valve 5i away from its seat. The operator by holding the pedal depressed, holds the throttle open so that the engine may run for a time upon gasoline, but when the valve 52 is opened, engine suction will operate the piston 55 to open the valve 55 and close the valve 55. As soon as valve'55 is opened oil will be discharged along with air sucked in through the open cup 55, into the chamber lll of the manifold cap, and this flow of oil willbe increased beyond the flow permitted by the running adjustment of the needle valve 31, so that by the time the engine has been suiciently warmed, and before the gasoline has been exhausted from the carbureter bowl after the closing of the valve, 59, this fuel oil will have passed through and been vaporized, in the passages 8 and 9 together with the water supplied through the pipe 33, forming combustible charges upon which the engine will continue to run, this advance adjustment of said needle valve and opening of said valve 3B, giving time inwhich the flow of oil, water and air may pass through the heating zone and be vaporizedbefore the gasoline is used up. As soon as this normal running condition is reached, the foot pedal 44 will be released to close the throttle 45 and through the upward swinging of the bell crank 4I, restore 'the adjustmentcf the needle valve 31, to normal. During normal running, by depressing the push pin 46, the bell crank 49 may be swung relative to the bell crank 4I upon which it is mounted, to adjust, by means of the rod 52, the wedge 54 and thus increase or decrease at will, the ow of oil into the cup 34 to regulate the speed of the engine, and this without manipulnting the throttle which will remain closcd due to the operation of the bcll crank 49 independently of the bell crank 4l. The supply of fuel oil from the tank 21 to the engine may thus be accurately regulated, and without such flow being in the least affected by engine speed and engine suction due to the fact that the oil is regulated in its flow before it drops from the nozzle 38 into the open funnel or cup all which, because of being open, permits free flow of air through said funnel and into the engine manifold along with the oil discharged from the nozale 3B. The proper amount of water Ato effect the proper formation of combustible charges, is, in a similar manner, regulated by a setting of the valve 29, prior to its discharge into the open cup 3i, and this flow into said cup is unaffected by suction through the pipe 35i which 'draws the 'water from the bottom of the said cup, this cup being open to permit the free flow of air into said pipe along with the proper amount of water.

While in the accompanying drawing a particular construction has been shown, it will b'e understood that the same is merely illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention, and that changes may be made therein, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that such changes are contemplated.

'Having thus fully described my invention what i claim is:

l. The combination with an internal combus tion engine, an intake manifold for said engine, a carbureter communicatingvfith said manifold,

a source of fuel oil supply operable alternately with said carbureter to supply a fuel charge to the engine, and a throttle valve for controlling flow of combustible charges from said carbureter to said manifold, of means operated simultaneously with the operation of said throttle valve for supplying and controlling the flow of fuel oil from 5^ id source of supply to said manifold, said means comprising an adjustable fuel oil valve, a manually operable member for operating said throttle valve, and means connected with said manually operable member and with said fuel oil valve for operating said valve simultaneously with the operation of said throttle valve and operable independently of said throttle valve, whereby said fuel oil valve is operated to open the same simultaneously with the operation of said throttle valve and is operable independently of the operation of said throttle valve to adjust said fuel oil valve independently of the operation of said throttle valve.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, and including ca member automatically operated by vacuum created in said intake manifold by engine operation, a shut off valve for controlling the supply of fuel oil to said manifold, and a valve for controlling the flow to said carbureter said vacuum operated member being operatively connected to said shut off valve and said last named valve for simultaneously operating said valves.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine, an intake manifold for said engine, a carbureter communicating with said manifold, a source of fuel oil supply operable alternately with said carburetor to supply a fuel charge to the engine, and a throttle valve for controlling flow of combustible charges from said carbureter to said manifold, of means for supplying fuel oil from said source of fuel oil supply to said manifold and controlling the flow of said oil and the operation of said throttle valve, said means comprising an adjustable valve, for controlling the flow of said oil, a member connected to said throttle valve for operating the same, a manually operable member for operating said member conaosaess nected to said throttle, a member carried by and movable with said member connected to said throttle, means connecting said last named member and said valve, and means for operating said last named member independently of the operation of said member connected to said throttle, whereby said valve is operated simultaneously with the operation of said throttle and is operable independently of the operation of said throttle by said last named means.

4. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a source of' light fuel supply having an outlet valve associated therewith, an inlet manifold having a carburetor therein for conducting light fuel from said supply into the engine, a source of heavy fuel supply also having an outlet valve associated therewith, means including said inlet manifold for conducting heavy fuel from said source of heavy fuel supply into said engine, selective means comprising a linkage connecting said outlet valves for delegating either type of fuel for use by said engine, manually controllable means for actuating said selective means, and automatic means comprising a spring and an engine operated vacuum device operable upon a stopping of said engine for actuating said selective means to a position for delegating the use of light fuel upon restarting of said engine.

5. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a source of light fuel supply having an outlet valve associated therewith, an inlet manifold having a carburetor therein for conducting light fuel from said supply into the engine, a source of heavy fuel supply also having an outlet valve associated therewith, means including said inlet manifold for conducting heavy fuel from said source of heavy fuel supply into said engine, selective means comprising a linkage connecting said outlet valves for delegating either type of fuel for use by said engine, manually controllable means for actuating said selective means, and automatic means comprising a. spring and an engine operated vacuum device operable upon a stopping of said engine for actuating said selective means to a position for delegating the use of light fuel upon restarting of said engine, said automatic means operating upon stopping of the engine to close the outlet valve of said source of heavy fuel supply and to open the outlet valve of said source of light fuel supply whereby the bowl of the carburetor becomes filled with light fuel while the eng-ine is idle.

6. In a charge forming device for internal combustion engines, an intake manifold, a source of heavy oil supply having an outlet valve associated therewith, conduit means leading from said source of supply to said manifold and having an opening to the atmosphere along the length thereof, a. throttle valve for metering the flow of oil through said conduit means, a carburetorhaving a supply valve, and a linkage connecting said carburetor supply valve and the outlet valve of said source of heavy oil supply, said linkage being manually operable to render either said carburetor or said heavy oil supply inoperative to supply fuel to said engine, and automatic means operable upon stopping of the engine for actuating said linkage to close the outlet valve of said source of heavy fuel supply and to fillfthe bowl of said carburetor whereby light fuel will be conducted to said engine upon restarting.

HENRY SCHMI'I'I. 

